GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 9 April 1866
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 9 April 1866
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 9 April 1866
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Sara Sophia Hennell
Date(s)
- 1866-04-09
Place
London
Letter Content
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 9 April 1866
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, II, 424-425.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
April 9. 66.
Dear Sara
Don't think any evil of me for not writing. Just now, the days are short and art is long, to artists with feeble bodies. If people don't say expressly that they want anything from me, I easily conclude that they will do better without me, and have a good weight of idleness, or rather bodily fatigue, which puts itself into the scale of modesty.
I am grieved to see that you write of Cara's cold as if it were something of unusually long standing. Give my best love to her and tell her I like always to believe that she is extant though the only proof is that I hear nothing to the contrary.
We are always the same -- happy in everything except our livers and stomachs. Yet, in spite of these, I feel a growing cheerfulness -- I torment myself less with fruitless regrets that my particular life has not been more perfect. The young things are growing, and to me it is not melancholy but joyous that the world will be brighter after I am gone than it has been in the brief time of my existence. You see my pen runs into very old reflections. The fact is I have no details to tell that would much interest you. It is true that I am going to bring out another book, but just when, is not certain.
A lord's son, 421 who comes often to see us, interests us greatly by giving us an idea of what many of his class are suffering from this calamity of the cattle-plague. 422 He has been working hard among the poor beasts and their owners in Cheshire. His father doesn't expect to have any rent for 6 years, and now this young man is wishing he knew how to get his bread!
Mr. Spencer was with us yesterday -- very cheerful and running over with argument as usual.
Always yours
Marian.
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, II, 424-425.
The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
April 9. 66.
Dear Sara
Don't think any evil of me for not writing. Just now, the days are short and art is long, to artists with feeble bodies. If people don't say expressly that they want anything from me, I easily conclude that they will do better without me, and have a good weight of idleness, or rather bodily fatigue, which puts itself into the scale of modesty.
I am grieved to see that you write of Cara's cold as if it were something of unusually long standing. Give my best love to her and tell her I like always to believe that she is extant though the only proof is that I hear nothing to the contrary.
We are always the same -- happy in everything except our livers and stomachs. Yet, in spite of these, I feel a growing cheerfulness -- I torment myself less with fruitless regrets that my particular life has not been more perfect. The young things are growing, and to me it is not melancholy but joyous that the world will be brighter after I am gone than it has been in the brief time of my existence. You see my pen runs into very old reflections. The fact is I have no details to tell that would much interest you. It is true that I am going to bring out another book, but just when, is not certain.
A lord's son, 421 who comes often to see us, interests us greatly by giving us an idea of what many of his class are suffering from this calamity of the cattle-plague. 422 He has been working hard among the poor beasts and their owners in Cheshire. His father doesn't expect to have any rent for 6 years, and now this young man is wishing he knew how to get his bread!
Mr. Spencer was with us yesterday -- very cheerful and running over with argument as usual.
Always yours
Marian.
Signature
Marian.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, London, 9 April 1866, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/94062